Viva Voce/Aural Preparation Musical Concepts Pitch Tonality (major or minor). Is there a modulation (change in key) in the song? Where does this happen (instrumental/chorus)? Does the song modulate higher or lower? Does the song modulate from major to minor? When the song modulates is there new music heard or is it a repeat of a previous verse or chorus? Rate of chord change. Do the chords change quickly (several times a bar) or slowly (once every two bars). Which instruments are playing the chords? Do different sections of the song have different rates of chord change? Does the song have a repeating chord pattern (same chords over and over)? Range (The distance from the lowest to the highest note). Talk about each instrument, does it have a wide range (uses many notes) or a narrow range (limited notes close together)? Does an instrument increase its range (it may use more notes in the chorus)? Does the range of the voice change, it may use more notes in the chorus or in the verse? Register (The general area of pitch very low, low, middle, high, very high). Talk about each instrument individually. Does it say in one range? Does it move into different ranges? Is it high in one part of the song and lower in another? Does the voice use the same register or does it get higher or lower in the verse or choruses? Pitch direction (Ascending going up and descending going down). This usually relates to the melody. Does the melody have an ascending or descending shape? Are there any patterns or ostinati that use ascending or descending pitch? Are they any specific words in the melody/vocals that demonstrate scending or descending pitch? Do the instruments (guitar for example) play any ascending or descending scales or patterns? Arpeggio/Broken Chord (notes of the chord played one after the other rather than all together) What is playing the arpeggio (guitar, piano)? Are arpeggios used throughout the song or just in one particular section? Does the melody line make use of arpeggios? Do the arpeggios use repeating patterns or are they different each time? What pitch register are the arpeggios are in? Call and response (One instrument plays a melody and another instruments plays a response like a question and answer) Which instruments do this? Which part of the song does it happen in? Are the call and responses in different pitch registers? Do they copy each other? Are they different? Imitation Instruments copy small parts of their tunes or melodies like an echo? 12 Bar Blues Does your song use the 12 Bar Blues chord pattern Definite (notes that are tuned and can be found on the piano) and indefinite (notes that are not tuned like drums and can t be found on the piano) pitch. Describe the pitch of each instrument as definite or indefinite. Does the voice use any indefinite pitch (talking or screaming)? Does the guitar use any indefinite pitch (hitting the body of the instrument/tapping)? Are there sections of the song that use only indefinite pitch like percussion solos?
Chords Are there major or minor chords? Which are used mostly? Are they any chords that stand out as not belonging (chromatic chords) Steps (notes next to each other) & leaps (notes note next to each other/wide apart). Which instruments use steps or leaps? Does this change in the song, if so where? Does an instrument change from playing steps to leaps? Are there any ascending or descending steps or leaps? Ornamentation Trills, grace notes, turns Dissonant Harmony Notes that sound bad/clash strongly. Where does this happen? Which instruments produce the dissonant notes? Why has dissonance been used? Phrasing The shape and breaks of the melody (like sentences in poetry). Do the phrases last for 2 or 4 bars? Are the phrases different lengths? Are the phrases regular or irregular? Pedal point The same pitch plying over and over again? Where does this happen? Which instrument is doing this? What effect does this create? Drone a long sustained note that is the same pitch that lasts over many bars. Is this a high or low note? Which instrument is playing the drone? How many bars does it last? Sequence A musical pattern that repeats itself stepping up or down each time. Sequences can be ascending or descending. Which instruments is playing the sequence? How long is the sequence? Duration Time signature 4/4 or 3/4 (there are others). Does the time signature change, in which section of the song does this occur? Tempo (describe the speed using an Italian term) Grave slow and solemn (20 40 bpm) bpm = Beats Per Minute Lento slowly (40 60 bpm) Largo broadly (40 60 bpm) Adagio slow and stately (literally, "at ease") (66 76 bpm) Andante at a walking pace (76 108 bpm) Moderato moderately (108 120 bpm) Allegretto moderately fast (but less so than allegro) Allegro fast, quickly and bright (120 168 bpm) Vivace lively and fast ( 140 bpm) (quicker than allegro) Presto very fast (168 200 bpm) Ritardando gradually slowing of the tempo. Where does this happen, how much slower does the tempo end up (use an Italian word)? Accelerando gradual speed up of the tempo. Where does this happen, how much faster does the tempo end up (use an Italian word)? Beat the pulse of the song (strong, regular, weak, irregular what is creating this?) Note lengths (short, detached, long, very long, sustained) Talk about each instrument individually. Are there instruments that use combinations of long or short notes? Is there an instrument playing long notes while another is playing short notes? Are there different notes used indifferent
sections of the song? Can you name the types of notes (see picture on next page)? Syncopation Notes that fall off the main beat. Which instruments use syncopation? Where in the song does it happen? Does the syncopation last a long time or is it short? Is the syncopation regular or irregular? Do the drums use syncopation in drum fills? Accent A strong or emphasied beat. Where does this happen? Which instruments use accents? Is there a repeating accent pattern? Are the accents used to lead into a new section of the song (chorus for example)? Are there regular accents in the drum or bass line? Swing rhythm/dotted rhythm This is the bouncy rhythm. Is this used in the drums, bass, melody? Is it used throughout the song? Does the use of swing rhythm change? Staccato Short and detached notes. Which instruments use staccato? When does it happen? Is it used consistently or just in short sections of the song? Legato Notes that are connected and smooth. Is this used to contrast staccato? Are all instruments legato? Is the voice legato or staccato? Are there sections of the song that use legato and staccato differently? Offbeat - Notes that play between every beat, can be heard in the drums or guitar strums Backbeat Accenting beats 2 and 4 usually on the drums Ostinato A repeating rhythm pattern. Describe/name its note lengths notate it if you can ) How long is the ostinato, how many bars does it last? Does the ostinato use any features like syncopation/accents/staccato Triplets Notes that are grouped in lots of three. Are these used throughout? Are there any particular words in the melody that use triplets? Are triplets used with accents? Rhythm - The types and combinations of notes. Is the rhythm simple or complex? Does it use basic crotchets and quavers or is there a lot of syncopation, rests and accents? Which parts of the song or instruments use complex rhythms? Texture Describe the roles of each instrument Melody The main tune. Which instrument is playing the melody? Does this change, where? Is there more than one instrument playing the melody at the same time? Counter melody A second melody that plays at the same time as the main melody. Is this melody higher or lower? Is it simpler or more complex than the main melody? Accompaniment The chords and supporting layers in the song. What is the accompaniment (chords, arpeggios, repeated notes)? Which instruments are playing the accompaniment? Does this change, where? Is there a bass line?
Pulse reinforcing Instrument that supports the beat, usually drums. How is it supporting the pulse? Providing a steady beat, using accents, playing strong crotchets? Describe the accompaniment full chords, arpeggios, repeating rhythm patterns etc. Which instruments are playing accompaniment? Discuss the layers and density - Many layers create a full/dense/thick texture. Few layers create a thin/sparse texture. Describe the entry of layers are they one by one or all at once. Is there any section of the song where there is sudden change in the density? Is there a section where the layers gradually build? Can you explain the order of the instruments as they enter? Monophonic Name the instrument that is playing the single layer Homophonic A melody line with chords as the accompaniment. Name the melodic layer (melody instrument, does it change?) and the accompaniment layer (name the instruments that are playing accompaniment, do they chance? Where? How? Polyphonic Two or more different melodies with the accompanying instruments. Name the instruments who are playing the two different melodies and describe the accompaniment. Unison all layers perform the same thing. Are there two instruments that are playing/singing the exact same thing? Doubling a layer is copying another at the same time, it is playing the exact same thing. Texture break This is where all of the instruments stop or the song drops to one instrument. Where is this used? Is it used to signal a new section? Which instruments drop up/are left? Tone Colour Name the ensemble (Orchestra, rock band, pop group, string quartet etc ) and name all of the instruments Describe the overall tone colour of the section using tone colour words and justifying them by relating to the other concepts. Example: The tone colour is bright because of the strings in the high register. Describe the tone colour of individual instruments. If it is necessary, describe the method of sound production (blowing, shaking, hitting, scraping, electronic) and how the sound is made. Relate this to the tone colour. Describe any electronic affects that affect tone colour (distortion, echo, reverb) JUSTIFY YOUR TONE COLOUR WORDS BY RELATING TO THE INSTRUMENT S SOUND AND OTHER CONCEPTS! e.g. The flute is bright and warm because it is playing short notes in the high register. The bass guitar is playing strong Bright Chirpy Brilliant Clear Nasal Haunting Sombre Murky Majestic Grand Ringing Distorted Coarse Muddy Breathy Muted Wooden Mellow Resonant Romantic Piercing Brassy Dry Percussive Synthetic Sparkling Shimmering Silvery Pure Reedy Eerie Thin Edgy Powerful Strong Comical Aggressive Dark Harsh Airy Muffled Scratchy Sweet Warm Metallic Blazing Hollow Rumbling Electronic
accents using very low pitch producing a dark and aggressive tone colour. Head voice /chest voice Does the singer use the different parts of their voice to produce strong support sounds verses higher, more airy light sounds? Are the dynamics effecting the tone colour (louder sounds may be harsher, softer sounds might be mellow)? Where do they dynamics change? How are they used? Dynamics and Expressive Techniques Discuss the dynamics using appropriate Italian words Volume Italian Word Abbreviation Very very soft Pianississimo ppp Very soft Pianissimo pp Soft Piano P Moderately soft Mezzo Piano mp Moderately loud Mezzo Forte mf Loud Forte f Very Loud Fortissimo ff Very very loud Fortississimo fff Gradually getting louder Crescendo cresc. Gradually getting softer Silence Decrescendo / Diminuendo* Is silence used for textural or dramatic effect? Is there a recurring use of silence? Why has the silence been used? dim. Silence How do dynamics change? (suddenly, gradually) Where? Are they dynamics related to the texture? Does the number of instruments affect the dynamics? Where, how? What creates the dynamic change? (texture change, instruments playing louder, more or less instruments?) Describe any expressive techniques. These are always instrument specific. Name the instrument that is performing the technique. (E.g. electric guitar uses vibrato) Name Description Instruments Accent A strong / emphasized / attacked note or chord All Arco With the bow Strings Bend Sliding around the pitch/bending the pitch Vocal + others Brushes (Wire) Playing the drums with wire brushes rather than sticks Percussion Chorus Chorus adds a swirling property to a sound that it Electronic
is applied to, thickening the sound. Con Legno Hit the string with the wood of the bow Strings Con Sordino With a mute placed on the strings near the bridge. Stops some of the string vibration Strings Distortion Distortion is a deformation of a waveform which makes the music sound fuzzy and electronic Electronic Doink / Voice Fleck Sliding upwards at the end of a phrase (At the end of the word eagle in this example) Vocal Double Stopping Playing two (or more) notes at once Strings Drop Sliding down away from correct pitch (The word sky in this example) Vocal Drum Roll Rapidly alternating the 2 drum sticks/mallets Drums Echo/Delay A slightly delayed repletion of sound Electronic Falsetto Male voice singing higher than usual Male Vocal Flutter Tonguing Rolling the tongue (rrrrrrrr) while producing the pitch Wood Wind and Brass Fret Noises The sound made from running the fingers across the guitar strings usually Guitar Glissando Sliding pitch Most pitched instruments Harmonic Lightly touching the string allowing only part of it to vibrate producing an extremely high pitch. Strings Key Clicks Clicking the keys of an instrument Any keyed instrument Laughing Laughing Vocal Legato Performing notes smoothly and connected All Melisma Singing syllable over many notes. Vocal Mute - Straight Mute - Bucket Mute An object placed in the bell of an instrument. Wah wah is created by covering the hole in the mute with the hand Brass - Wah Wah - Cup Mute Pizzicato Plucked with the fingers or object Strings Reverb When sound is produced in a space, multiple reflections (echoes) may build up and blend Electronic together Rim Shot Hitting the metal edge of the snare drum Snare Drum Rubato Se Rubato in DURATION All Scat Imitating an instrument by singing short nonsense syllables in a fast improvised way. It often sounds Vocal like it is imitating the jazz trumpet or sax. Screaming / What I did every lesson!!! Vocal
Shouting Slap Hit the strings often with thumb Bass Guitar Slap Tonguing Slapping the tongue on the reed as you play Wood Wind Slurp Sliding up to the correct pitch Vocal Speaking I ll let you sort it out! Umm Voice? Staccato Notes that are short and detached All Strummed Moving a finger or a pick over several strings (like strumming the guitar) Strings Sustain / Damper Pedal The pedal on the piano that allows the notes to resonate after the key has been depressed. Creates a very legato sound. Piano Tambourine Roll Running the thumb around the outside edge of the tambourine Tambourine Tenuto Drawing out the full length of each note. Giving the note a very slight stress. Tenuto is like a All slight pause. Tonguing Pressing the tongue on the reed/mouthpiece of Wood Wind, the instrument to create a short sound or to Brass break up the sound Tremolo A rapid repletion of the same note or chord. A rapid alternation between two notes (wider than a All tone otherwise it s a trill) Vibrato Vibrating/shaking the pitch Most instruments Whispering You know Vocal Guitar expressive techniques: Articulation How the notes are played/produced How do expressive techniques change the tone colour?
Structure Name the sections if popular song structure (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro, pre-chorus etc ) Write observations of how musical concepts are used differently in each section. i.e. How is the verse different from the chorus? Do the drums play differently in different sections? Is the voice used differently in different sections? Is the texture different in each section? If the piece does not use popular song structure name the sections using letters A B A1 B B2 and then describe the musical characteristics of each section relating to the musical concepts. Is there a simple two section structure like Ternary ABA or Binary AB? Riffs Short repeating melodies. Are there riffs in different parts of the song?